Metallurgical apparatus



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METALQURGICAL APPARATUS Filed Mayzz', 1940 s sheetsmsheet 1 NOV 3, 1942 E. w. STEELE ETAL 2,300,937

METALLUR'GICAL APPARATUS l l l Filed May 22, 1940 5 sheets-sheet 2 wam-ons E'u we Wielk AT1-75E? Y i Naw.y 3,

E. w. STEELE -Er Al.

. METALLURGICAL APPARATUS Filed uw` 22, .1940 :s sheets-sheet s lNvENToRS Patented Nov. 3, 1942 METALLURGICAL APPARATUS Eugene W. Steele and John GQ Leckic, Baltimore,` Md., assignors to American Smelting and Re` ning Company, New York, N. Y.,` a corporation of New Jersey Application May 22, 1940, Serial No. 336,516

7 claims.

The present invention provides improved apparatus which is designed especially for mixing and stirring molten metal in the production of metal alloys or in any other operation wherein it is desirable or necessaryto agitate a metaly bath.`

More particularly the invention provides an apparatus which is designed for mixing, stirring as agitating molten metal baths of high-melting point metals, such as copper, for example, in the production of copper alloys.` However, the apparatus'of the invention is not limited to such application, as will become obvious as the description proceeds.

An object of the4 invention therefore is to provide an improved apparatus for stirring a pool of liquid, such as a molten metal of high specific gravity. The apparatus is preferably arranged to be manually operated, but it will be obvious that other suitable means may be provided for operat tion thereof.

A` further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above-mentioned character which is readily shiftable manually between operative and inoperative positions. i

A further object of the invention is to provide Fig. 1 is aplan view of the improved apparatus L with the stirrer'in position for stirring molten y metal or the` like.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 with the stirrer in raised position as when not in use.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in elevation taken v on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the dotted lines inthe view showing the inoperative position of the mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan View of the stirrer, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the path of travel' of the stirrer. l

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism in operative position, the view showing means for horizontally adjusting the mechanism to bring the stirrer in position for placement in a liquid bath to be stirred. 4

Fig. 6V is an end elevation of the apparatus,

ing end of the apparatus showing the operating instrumentalities, the inoperative position I of which Ais indicated by dotted lines. l

Fig. '7 is `an elevational view of the operating unit showing details thereof.

Referring more particularly t0 the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention comprises bearings 9 and I I through which extends a shaft` I3. The bearings 9 and II are supported by brackets I5 and Il which are riveted to spaced channel bars I9 and 2l of a suitable supporting beam which will be referred to hereinafter in greater detail.

Positioned on the shaft I3 adjacent to the said bearings are sleeves 23 and 25, which are keyed to the shaft I3 as is indicated at 2l and 29. The sleeve 23 has a lever SI mounted thereon to provide means for turning the shaft I3;

Angularly disposed with respect to the shaft I3 is a second shaft 33. This shaft is mounted for rotation in bearings 35 and 3l. Bearings 35 and 3l are angularl'y disposed on sleeves 23 and 25 respectively and preferably are integral therewith. In this way shaft 33 is positioned at such. an angle to the pivot shaft I3 that upon rotation of shaft i3 lthe attached stirrer means can be tilted in or out of the liquid bath being stirred or mixed.

Bearing 3l is mounted on the outer end of bracket or arm means 39 attached to the sleeve 25. The bracket 39 has longitudinal reinforcing ribs 49, 42 extending along its sides for stiffening the bracket against the Weight of the stirring instrumentalities which will be described hereinafter. A second bracket 4I also is mounted on the sleeve 25 and extends outwardly from the sleeveii on the opposite side of the sleeve from `the'bracket 39, so that brackets 39 and 4I extend in opposite directions from the sleeve 25, both being carried by the sleeve. ln practice the bracket 3Q, sleeve 25 and bracket 4I may be an integral casting, therebybeing in one piece. The bracket il is reinforced by longitudinally extending ribs 46, 4t and carries a counterweight 43 for counterbalancing the weight of the stirring instrumentalities which now will be described.

On thestirring end of the` shaft 33 thereis mounted a bevel gear which is keyed to the shaft 33 as is indicated at 45. This gear 45 meshes with a second bevel gear 41 which is mounted on a vertical shaft 49 and keyed thereto as is indicated at 48. The shaft 49 also is keyed to a sleeve 5I as is indicated at 52, the sleeve 5I being held in position on shaft 49 by a nut 53 taken along the line '-I of Fig. l at the operat- 55 threaded on the bottom end of the shaft.

This assembly is held by a bracket 51 which extends from the bracket 39. A gear guard 59 protects the gears 95 and 41.

The sleeve as shown in Figure 3, comprises a horizontally extending arm 6| and attached stirring rod 63. The stirring rod is suitably secured thereto by means of the nuts 65 and 61 which are threaded onto the upper end of the rod 63.

A stirring member 69 is threaded on the lower end of the rod 63 as at 64. This stirring member preferably is a carbon cylinder which is moved in the pool 1|) being stirred, through a complete circle, there resulting a thorough agitation of the pool. In practice the cylinder 69 is the only part of the stirring mechanism which is immersed in the molten metal bath. It will be understood of course that the refractory character of the carbon makes this material suited excellently for high temperature operations.

In order to operate this stirrer a crank 1| is keyed as is indicated at 12 to the end of the shaft 33. An operating handle 13 is provided for turning the crank to rotate the shaft 33 and to drive the gears 45 and 41, thereby causing the arm 6| to revolve moving the stirrer 69 through the bath of heavy metal.

The operating end of the mechanism includes means for readily lifting the stirrer 69 out of the bath and into inoperative position.

It has been said before that the sleeve 23 is keyed to the shaft |13 and that the bearing 35 is disposed above and somewhat off-set from the sleeve 23, but is integral therewith. The bearing 35 has an arm 15 extending from it which is secured to the lifting lever 3|, as is indicated at 11, so that when this lever 3| is pressed downwardly sufficiently, it turns with the unit comprising the sleeve 23 and the bearing 35, turning the shaft I3 a corresponding amount thereby lifting the bracket 39 and the stirring mechanism until the stirrer 69 is raised clear of the pool 19 and its container 19, as is indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The counterweight 43 facilitates lifting of the stirrer mechanism, since the member 43 substantially counterbalances the weight of the stirring mechanism. For securing the weight 43 in place on the member 4| tap screws 8|, 83, are provided as shown in Fig. 3.

Accordingly, it will be seen that the stirring device 69 is moved readily between operating and inoperative positions. There is indicated at 85 an operators platform.

In Fig. 5 there is shown mechanism for adjusting the stirrer horizontally as well as vertically.

As has been said above, the stirring instrumentalities are mounted on spaced channel bars I 9 and 2| of a suitable supporting beam. In fact these bars compose the beam, and as will be seen from Fig. 5, the beam is a cantilever beam supported from onev end on an upright frame 81 by a pivot bolt 89 provided with a handle 9| for enabling the beam to be swung in a horizontal arc, so that the stirring cylinder 69 may be positioned suitably over the container or ladle 10 as illustrated in Fig. 5. As shown a ladle 10 containing for example molten copper, is supported for transportation on a car 93 mounted on track 95. By providing for lateral adjustment of the member I9 on which the stirring mechanism is placed, if the car is not brought into position exactly beneath the stirring mechanism, the latter may be swung into proper position over the ladle for lowering the stirrer 69 into stirring position.

Referring to the details of the mounting of the beam, it will be noted that the upright frame member 81 has welded to it at opposite sides the angle irons 91, to which is bolted a cap plate |0| by bolts |03. The bolt heads are countersunk in plate IUI. A bearing plate |91 is interposed between the cantilever beam and the cap-plate |0|. The pivot bolt 89 is held by its head |69 which is countersunk in a channel cut into the upright 81, the bolt 89 extending through both plates |91 and IDI.

Lever 9| is threadedly mounted on the outer end of bolt 89 and provides releasable locking means for the cantilever beam I9, so that the beam may be pivoted about the bolt 89 to the desired position, whereupon tightening up on the lever 9| locks the beam in adjusted position.

The stirring apparatus of the presentY inven- V tion has been designed specifically for incorporating phosphorus into copper for the production of phosphor-copper but it may be used anywhere that a thorough stirring or dissemination of any given liquid is required.

What is claimed is:

1. In mixing and stirring apparatus for molten metal baths, a revolvable stirrer mechanism means for supporting said mechanism above said molten metal bath, a shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said stirring mechanism being carried by said rotatable shaft, means for rotating said shaft to position said stirrer member in and out of said molten bath, and means comprising a, drive shaft spaced at an angle to said rst mentioned shaft, said drive shaft being arranged to rotate said stirrer and means for rotating said drive shaft to operate said stirrer.

2. In mixing and stirring apparatus for molten metal baths, mechanism comprising a stirrer for positioning in said molten metal, means for supporting said stirring mechanism above a molten metal bath, a shaft for rotation on the supporting means, said stirring mechanism being attached to said shaft and movable as a unit upon rotation of said shaft, a drive shaft operatively connected to said stirrer for actuating the same, said drive shaft being carried by and spaced from said first mentioned shaft, and means for rotating said drive shaft.

3. In mixing and stirring apparatus for molten metal baths, stirring mechanism comprising a depending stirrer and associated actuating means, supporting means for said stirring mechanism arranged to suspend said mechanism above the molten metal bath to be stirred, means comprising a rotatable shaft mounted on said support about which said stirring mechanism is movable as a unit, and means for adjusting said support to position said stirring mechanism relative to said molten metal bath.

4. In mixing and stirring apparatus for molten metal baths, stirring mechanism, adjustable support means for said stirring mechanism, said mechanism comprising a rotatable stirrer and actuating means therefor, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support, said stirring mechanism being attached to said shaft and rotatable as a unit therewith, a second rotatable shaft forming a part of said mechanism for revolving said stirrer, said second shaft being angularly spaced with respect to said first mentioned shaft and movable axially together with said stirrer mechanism thereabout.

l5. In metallurgical mixing and stirring apparatus, means including a rotatable stirrer and associated actuating mechanism for stirring a molten metal bath, means for supporting said mechanism and stirrer above said bath, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support, said stirrer and actuating mechanism being carried by said shaft, means for rotating said shaft about its longitudinal axis to position saidstirrer means in and out of the molten metal bath, said stirrer actuating mechanism comprising a drive shaft spaced from said first mentioned shaft and carried thereby, and means for rotating said drive shaft to actuate said stirrer.

6. In metallurgical mixing and stirring apparatus, means including a depending stirrer and associated actuating mechanism for mixing a molten metal bath, means for supporting said stirrer and associated mechanism, said supporting means being adjustable for positioning said stirrer relative to said bath, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support, said stirrer and actuating mechanism being carried by said shaft and movable therewith, means for rotating said shaft about its longitudinal axis to move said stirrer means in and out of the molten metal bath, said stirrer actuating means comprising a rotatable drive shaft which is swingable axially about said rst mentioned shaft.

'7. In mixing and stirring apparatus, means including a revolvable stirrer and associated actuating mechanism, means for supporting said stirrer and associated mechanism above the material to be stirred, said supporting means being adt justable for positioning said stirrer relative to said material, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support, said stirrer and actuating mechanism being carried by said shaft and movable therewith,` means for rotating said shaft about its longitudinal axis to swing said stirrer in and out of the material being stirred, said stirrer actuating mechanism comprising a rotatable drive shaft operatively connected to said stirrer and swingable axially as a part of said stirrer and actuating mechanism about said rst mentioned shaft.

EUGENE W. STEELE.

JOHN G. LECKIE. 

